| When we decided to move beyond the power | | | | After carefully adding up all of our power usage |
| lines the first item on our agenda was to find off | | | | we determined that we would need at least 3000 |
| the grid solar home plans. We figured that by | | | | watts of solar power production and a small |
| using solar panels we could quickly and easily | | | | backup generator to power our home |
| make our off grid home comfortable. | | | | comfortably. |
| We looked into the possibility of wind power at | | | | We sent out several letter and emails asking if |
| first (we have since built a wind generator), but at | | | | anyone we knew had any ideas where we could |
| the time it didn't seem feasible in our location. | | | | find off the grid solar home plans. Many of our |
| Right away we needed to cut a lot of trees to | | | | friends lived off the grid and we had hoped that a |
| get a wind generator high enough to produce | | | | quick response would have us on our way. |
| power. | | | | Within a couple days we had several responses all |
| Because of the modular nature of solar panels we | | | | indicating a particular website that had helped |
| could start small and add on later with ease. But | | | | them all. It looked like a great place to start. |
| first we had find off the grid solar home plans. | | | | The authors had lived off the grid for over 15 |
| What did we need? | | | | years and had written several books from |
| · Step by step solar panel installation guide | | | | installing solar panels, to building your own off grid |
| · Inexpensive off the grid solar home | | | | home to finding free solar panels or even building |
| plans | | | | a wind generator, which we undertook with |
| · Learn how to build our own home | | | | success a while ago. |
| We began our search by visiting with people in | | | | This was exactly what we had been searching |
| our area who had been living off the grid for a | | | | for, a place where we could find all of the |
| while. There was quite a few and all of them | | | | information and detailed books on the subject of |
| helped us in some way. Every off grid home was | | | | off the grid solar home plans. All of the books |
| different just like the people who lived in them. | | | | were under $20 which was quite reasonable and |
| That made our challenge to find off the grid solar | | | | we got started right away. |
| home plans that fit our lifestyle both easier and | | | | It didn't take long to plan out our own off grid |
| harder. | | | | dream home after that. We are so happy that |
| We had decided to use only solar power at the | | | | we avoided some very common mistakes that |
| start of our off grid experience so we started | | | | people make when designing and building their own |
| with a simple energy budget that would help us | | | | off grid home, well worth the expert advice. |
| determine how much power production we would | | | | Are you looking for more information? |
| need. | | | | |